In 2012, coding schools filled the void of the tech industry’s need for programmers – growing companies did not have the skilled workforce to fill job openings.

Today, coding schools have created a $260 million industry, with 100+ “coding boot camps” graduating 23K developers nationwide in 2017.

But the coding school boom appears to be coming to a standstill (only 15 new schools have opened this year and six have closed) – begging the question: How needed + effective are coding boot camps?

At first, these coding programs, which focus on intense learning for a short period of time (~3 months costing ~$10K) met the needs of the industry, but with the market for coders becoming increasing competitive, this once-successful strategy is no longer producing immediately employable graduates.

Many coding “bootcamps,” including S.C.-based The Iron Yard (which closed its BullStreet location this summer) are generally either downsizing or closing. The Iron Yard campuses that are still open no longer focus on quick turnover after graduation, but rather on experience, job training + portfolio building before graduates enter the job market.

New companies, like the all-female Powerhouse, are introducing contracting opportunities as part of the curriculum. This allows for more hands-on learning + job-focused training than in years prior – a new approach + hopeful solution.

5 min read / Charleston Business Journal